Remote control switch



June 24, 1930. T. F. BLUDWORTH 1,755,372

REMOTE CONTROL SWITCH V 7 Filed Dec. 22, 1927 fig. 2 INVENTOR.

70102111)? Bzwwam k ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 24, 193@ TIMOTHY F. BLTJ'DWORTH,

PATENT FFHCE OF SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY REMOTE CONTROL SWITCH Application filed December 22, 1827. Serial No. 241,878.

My invention relates to an improved switch and means for operating the same from one or more remote points. For example a specific application of my invention is to be found in connection with radio receiving apparatus in which it is desired to control the apparatus from a distance. It is desirable to place the loud speaker at a considerable distance from the main body f the receiving apparatus in order to obtain the best results, and it is an object of my invention to provide means adjacent the loud speaker by which'the receiving apparatus may be turned on or off. Furthermore,

by my' invention itis possible to control the receiving apparatus from other points in the room in which the receiving set is located or-from other rooms and more remote sta tions if so desired.

2Q .In this connection I would call attention to a copending application, Serial No. 168,381, filed Feb. 15, 1927, on a remote controlled switch, jointly invented by Igor S. Bobrovsky and myself, in which a magneti- 5 cally actuated switch is provided for the remote control of electrical apparatus such as a radio receiving set. The present invention'is an improvement on that described in said co-pending application in that it is applicable to a standard switch and also in that it provides for a much greater throwof the switch than would be practicable with an electromagnet as the actuating means.

Thus it is an object of my invention to 5 provide simple means'for operating a switch of standard make from a remote point.

Another object of the invention is to provide' a very inexpensive switch actuating means which is not liable to get out oforder 40; and which is operable with a very small amount of electric current.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch controlling means which may be operated from a number of remote sta- 45110115 connected in parallel.

In said co-pending application the controlling means is so arranged that the switch would be alternately turned on and oil by successive actuations. It is an object of the fiopresent invention to provide a switch controlling mechanism in which at the control station separate push buttons or equivalent means are provided for controlling the two positions of the switch so that the operator at the control station will have a positive control of direction of actuation of the switch.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts which will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention. and the scope of my invention will be clearly defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustratin certainelectrical connections used in my improved remote control switch, and

Fig. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of my improved switch and means for operating the same.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 2 l have shown at 10 a main switch from which projects a switch handle 11. The switch is preferably of the tumbler type, although obviously other forms of switches could be used so long as they are operable by swinging the switch handle through a predetermined angle. The construction of the main so bodyv of the switch forms no part of my invention and needs no specific description. Suflice it to say that with the handle 11 in one extreme position the switch will be turned on and with the handle in the other extreme'position, the switch will be turned oil; or if desired, swinging the handle 11 in one direction, will close the circuit through certain contacts and swinging the handle in the other direction will close a circuit through other contacts.

Secured to the handle 11 by any suitable means is a spring metal blade 12 which is preferably alined with the handle. Mounted adjacent the main switch 10 is an electric motor 13 which preferably drives a fly wheel 14. Secured to the fly wheel by means of a nut 15 on the fly wheel shaft 16 is an arm 17 which carries near its outer end a pin 18. The orbit of the pin lies in the plane of movement of the blade 12 and the relation of the handle 11 to the arm 17 is such that throughout the angular movement of the handle 11 the blade 12 intersects the orbit of the pin 18. As the arm 17 revolves the pin 18 engages the blade and throws the switch and when the switch handle reaches the limit (K its throw the :blade .12, being of spring metal, will yield and permit the pin to snap past. As shown in Fig. 2, if the arm 17 rotates clockwise the *pin 18 on striking the blade 12 will bend the blade clear of its path at each revolution. If, now the arm 17 be rotated counter-clockwise, or in the direction indicated by the/arrow, the pin 18 will strike the opposite face of the blade 12 and will swing the switch handle 11 to the position indicated by broken lines. Continued rotation oi the mm 17 :in the same direction will result merely in iflexing the spring and permitting the pin 18 to snap past the blade at each revolution. Thus by operating the motor to turn in one direction or the other, the switch hamdle 11 will be correspondingly operated.

The motor 13 is preferably a reversible series-wound motor which will operate equally as well on alternating current and direct current. In Fig. 1 the field 19 of the motor is shown as divided, one end being connected to a terminal pohit 29 and the other end to a terminal point 211 by means of leads 2 and 23 reqiectzi'vely. A lead 24 team nects a median point of the [field wish a brush 25 running on the commutator i%. The other brush 27 is connected by a line 28 to one terminal of a suitable source of power, not shown. The other t of said source of wer is cmnected by .a line 29 to a pair 0 local switch levers or buttons 30 and .31 which an ad to coact with the contact points 20 an 21 mespectively. Thus when the local switch 81 is operated to close the circuit flmongh the line 23 the motor will run in one direction and when the local switch 30 is operated to close the circuit through line .22 the motor will run in the opposite direction. Obviously the Switches 30 and 31 my beat any suitable form but they are preferalfly held open means of springs 32 and 33 'vely. Thus normally no current flows throu the motor 13 except when one of the pus buttons is operated.

Only a momentary impulse of current is necessary to throw the main switch. By providing a fly wheel 14 on the power shaft of the motor sufieient energy is stored in the fly wheel to insure operation of the arm 17 even when a very short impulse of current is passed through the motor. However, if an operator should hold down a button for a considerable length of time no harm would result because the. arm 17 would merely continue to rotate and the pin direc and the 18, after throwing the blade 12, would merely spring the blade 12 and snap past it at each rotation.

Obviously a set of push buttons could be provided at a number of difierent control stations by connecting them in arallel with the push buttons '30 and 31. s in Fig. 1 I have shown a second setof pull kittens 30 and 31'connected to the line .29 and adapted when operated to engage contact points 20' and 21" eon-meted respectively to the leads 22 and 23.

Instead of connecting the fl wheel 14 to ower shaft of t e motor it would e desire 1e in some instances to provide reduction gearing [between the motor ,fl wheel whereb o. v anal motor of ii igh speed con]: he nti' d to operate the arm 17 at a 'conqnmlt'iwely low speed, the power being thus step d up emfficiently to throw :a large In! 13 min switch.

While I have referred to .my inverlinn as specifically applicable for um in mediwith radio usmy invention is not "limited to such 'a 'clfiol but obviously 000141 in on with any other form o a which it was desirable to control from is r F:- instance a valve could be islbdlitutod :iorflre switch 10, and the term W as used is intended to coves-any device it: cutting eufi or controlling ah ifimv at a form of energy or any of H Fmthernmre my Invention in It. iiln'itnd to the specific details of construction -owl in the accompanying and I m the right tomaknmdi allmfliongvaniafim and modmfie' axioms of consul-aim 11d Ibrangemenlno mas. wit' qnnt' and scope of the iohwing claims.

1. Inacmtrolswma'dfivingmanlne, a driven member 1' hie between lillita in the path of the drivingmember, med said members burmal with a 1., we... 0. .u tWO members Bill a z- .il .rn: nz- L. of the two members when the driven member has been moved to either innit of reciprocation, and an actuating means or propeiiing the driving member.

2. In a control switch, a drivi member, a reversible motor for driving member, and a driven r recipmeabie between limits in the Pith of Hie membergazheeddriven membewa (including a spring to vi i engagu ment with dhe and mem lier a l?! to permit disengagement from the driving momher when the driven member reaches either push limit of its reciprocation.

3. In a control switch, a revoluble driving member, a driven member mounted to swing I through a limited angle in the path of the driving member, said driven member including a blade of spring metal adapted to efiect driving engagement between the driving and driven members and yielding at either limit of movement of the driven member to permit disengagement of the driving member, and a reversible electric motor for revolving the driving member.

4. In a control switch a reversible motor, a fly wheel driven thereby, an arm carried by the fly wheel, a pin on the free end of the arm, a switch lever, and'a flexible blade carried thereby, the switch lever being mounted to swing through a limited angle with the blade intersecting the orbit of said pin, said blade being adapted to yield when the switch lever reaches either limit of its swing to permit passage of the pin.

5. A switch comprising a driven member reeiprocable within predetermined limits and a reversible driving member capable of greater movement than the driven member, the latter having a spring arm extending across the path of the driving member and providing a driving connection between the two members, said arm being adapted to be sprung out of the path of the driving member to break said connection when the driven member reaches either limit of its reciprocation and to return immediately across said path so as to be engaged by the driving member upon the next succeeding stroke of the latter. I

TIMOTHY F. BLUDWORTH. 

